U.S. Senators Bernard Sanders and Sherrod Brown have written to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to ask the USPTO to examine ACTA to determine whether it is compliant with domestic U.S. legislation or if U.S. law will require amendment.
Archive for October, 2010
Canadian Government Posts French Language Version of ACTA
The Canadian government has posted a French language version of ACTA. The final treaty will operate in English, French, and Spanish.
Angus Tables Motion in Support of Open Source Software
NDP MP Charlie Angus has tabled a motion before the House of Commons focusing on the need for the government to support open source software, particularly through public tendering processes. The motion (M-587) states: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) support open source information and […]
Bloc MP Seeking Canadian Hearings on ACTA
Bloc MP Carole Lavallée has sent a notion of motion to the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage calling for hearings on Canada’s role at the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement negotiations. The motion states: That pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the Committee on Canadian Heritage invite the Minister of Canadian Heritage and […]
Digital Advocacy’s “Weak Ties†Should Not Be Underestimated
My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes the Gladwell article was published two days after Canada, the United States, the European Union, and a handful of other countries concluded negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Although some issues must still be sorted out, the countries have agreed on a broad framework and announced that no further negotiation rounds are planned.
With the draft agreement now public, it is apparent that one of the biggest stories over the three-year negotiation was the willingness of the U.S. to compromise on the rules associated with the Internet. When it first proposed the Internet chapter, the U.S. demanded new liability requirements for Internet providers (including the possibility of terminating subscriber access based on multiple allegations of infringement) as well as tough digital lock rules that went far beyond current international treaty requirements.